Kunming Minority Groups and Their Festivals

Kunming is home to many ethnic minority groups and is the focal point of Yunnan minority culture. Among the existing 26 minority groups in the area, the Yi, Bai, Dai, Naxi, and Zang (Tibetan), are the most famous. They each have their own independent cultures, customs, languages, and history. Most of them also have their own religious beliefs, including Tibetan Buddhism, Taoism, and Islam. In the past couple of thousand years, they have co-existed in peace and harmony. At present, many live in over-lapping areas and biracial marriages between them are quite normal.

The minority groups celebrate their own festivals throughout the year with most of these concentrated from March to October. Some of these include the Lisu Sword Festival in March, the Dai Water Splashing Festival in April, and the Yi Torch Festival in August. All of these make a wonderful time to visit and are really a treat for tourists. They are not only fun and colorful, but also provide a window to understand more deeply the values and lifestyle of the local people. If you want to experience this colorful ethnic culture and are short on time, the Yunnan Nationalities Village is a good alternative.

Singing performance of Yunnan minority people	Torch Festival celebrated by the fire-worshipping Yi people